Everlasting
by Sammie0014
Summary: The boy who was the very definition of cynical and sarcastic, always wrapped in leather and smoke and danger…had changed. His eyes seemed to shine like bright beckons of hope, and Rory knew that Jess Mariano would always, always, have some kind of hold over her heart. 2 years after the end of Season 7; Join Stars Hollow for the wedding we've all been waiting, Lorelai & Luke! R&R
1. I Do

**\- Two Years Later - **

"_**I do"**_

The day Stars Hollow had awaited had finally arrived; _the_ wedding. Sure, many people in Stars Hollow had been married before…but there was something magical in the air this time. Everyone was giddy with cheer because finally, after years of waiting and hoping, wishing and anticipating, Luke Danes and Lorelai Gilmore were getting married. The whole town had held its breath, knowing soon after Lorelai arrived in town that she was destined to be with Luke. Star-crossed lovers who had managed to find their way back to each other through all the hardships they'd faced. Despite their time apart, the two were stronger then ever.

Rory paced nervously, her floor-length dress dragging alone the floorboards in The Dragonfly. She had to admit the dress was impeccable. It was royal blue, chiffon material, and from the waist up it had a beautiful lace pattern. Rory was the maid of honor, and Sookie was the bridesmaid. They both looked beautiful.

Lorelai had decided to wear the wedding dress she brought during her first engagement to Luke. The first time she laid eyes upon it she'd known it was the one – the perfect wedding dress, and it still was. Minor alterations had been necessary, but now it was absolutely perfect. No one could believe it was _finally_ happening. Lorelai and Luke were finally getting married! Of all the men Rory's mother had dated – which hadn't been many at all – she was immensely glad Luke Danes would be her step-father.

"Oh hun, you look perfect!" Liz cooed, grasping her hands in front of her chest, admiring Lorelai. "Doesn't she look perfect?" She sighed. The love Liz held for Lorelai was undeniable. She went out of her way to welcome her into their family, and did nothing to conceal the joy she felt over the fact that Lorelai would soon become her sister-in-law.

"She does!" Sookie cooed, fixing the tulle on Lorelei's dress. "Ah! A bride. You're finally a bride! I'm so happy." Sookie had tears in her eyes. Sookie, much to her dismay, was pregnant and expecting her fourth child. She'd come to terms with that now, and I knew she was excited to give Davey, Martha and Ethan a new little sister, but it had taken her awhile to be okay with it and even longer for her to be happy about the prospect of bringing a new bundle of joy into the world. Jackson, however, was over the moon.

"You really do look amazing Mum." Rory grinned. She was so happy that her mother had found 'the one' - as cliché as that always sounded – and she wanted nothing more then them to live a long and happy life together, and maybe even have a couple children of their own. While it would be immensely weird to share her mother with a new sibling, Rory was actually excited about the prospect.

"Thanks, hun." Lorelai replied. "Thank you all. I don't know what I'd do without you." Rory walked over to the window, glancing at the sea of people below. They'd decided to have the wedding at The Dragonfly. It had been where Lorelai and Luke shared their first kiss, so it seemed appropriate. It was where their journey had begun.

Liz approached Lorelai, shifting an anxious glance at Rory who was still distracted, watching the people below. "Did you tell her yet?" She tried to whisper. But in a room so small it was no wonder the words travelled to Rory's eager ears.

"Tell me what?" She questioned immediately.

Lorelai shared a glance with Sookie and Liz, and then finally her gaze rested on Rory. She felt like they were all in on some secret she hadn't been made privy to, and Rory didn't like feeling excluded. "Tell me what?" she repeated.

"Oh…" Lorelai looked anxiously at Liz, then back to Rory. "I was going to tell you…but it must have slipped my mind." She laughed nervously.

"Tell me what?" Rory repeated again in exasperation.

"Jess is here." Lorelai finally admitted. "Jess is here, and we weren't sure if he was going to come, and I forgot to tell you. But he made it, and he's here."

"Jess?" Rory asked, panic in her voice. "Jess is here. I'm going to see Jess in a few minutes? And you didn't think a little warning would be nice?" Jess! Jess was here. Her heart felt like it was going to beat right out of her chest.

"I'm sorry hun." Lorelai sighed. "I just…forgot. With everything that's been going on, all the organizing and planning, and the guests and flowers and food. You only got back a few days ago…I just…"

"Forgot." Rory finished for her, still shocked. Jess. She hadn't seen Jess since she went to visit him in Philadelphia. Where they'd shared a kiss. Where she'd freaked out and left him humiliated and upset. They hadn't spoken since. And now she was going to see him again? _Drat_, she was not prepared for this!

"I'm so sorry." Lorelai looked worried.

"No." Rory replied, shaking her head. "It's fine. It'll be fine…"

Rory had gotten back from the campaign trail only a few days before the wedding. Actually, the only reason they'd waited so long to tie the knot was so she would be there. But somehow she'd never considered that Jess would be there. Why? She didn't know. For a moment Rory had forgotten that part of her past would be irrevocably tied to her present and future. Luke was Jess's family, as was Liz. She should have known he'd be here. But she'd been too busy to contemplate over the guest-list at her mothers wedding.

"Ladies." Liz said. "I hate to interrupt, but we have to go. The ceremony is starting soon."

Rory took a deep breath and exited the room with Sookie. They'd be walking down the aisle one by one, and now Rory's stomach was coiled with anxiety. She hadn't mentally prepared herself to see Jess. She didn't even know what had been happening in his life lately. Her job had completely taken over her life. She'd barely had time to think about Logan, at least not recently.

Wedding music began to play in the distance, some soft song that Rory didn't know, but it felt magical. Rory could practically feel the music wrapping around her, embracing her. She exited the Inn with Sookie behind her. For a second she froze, as she faced the crowd. But she couldn't spot Jess, so after a slight moment of hesitation she began to walk again, and as she began her decent down the aisle, she saw Luke for the first time that day.

He stood under a wooden arch, intricately decorated with light blue flowers. Rory wasn't sure what type of flowers they were, but my god they were breathtaking. Luke had decided to wear traditional suit, and he looked great. His eyes were shining with happiness and he wore a perpetual smile on his face. He'd waited so long to call Lorelai his, and now they were making a binding promise to love each other forever. Rory had watched their love story unfold, and despite many attempts by the universe to crush it, it had flourished. And now she was here to witness them uniting forever.

TJ and Jackson, Luke's best men, stood by his side in black suits with royal blue ties that matched Rory and Sookie's dresses. Rory made her way to the side of the arch opposite from Luke and his best men, and soon Sookie joined her. Rory felt her heart rate increase, her pulse felt loud in her ears, almost drowning out the sounds of the wedding.

Lorelai began her walk down the aisle. She held a bouquet of white flowers, disrupted with a few royal blue and pale sapphire flowers to keep it aligned with the theme. Wrapped in ivory, lace and tulle and beads; she was a vision in white and she was beautiful. Everyone stood to watch. This is what they'd all been waiting for. Even Emily and Richard, who'd gotten seats right at the front, looked at Lorelai with tears in their eyes.

Rory felt her own eyes fill with tears as she watched the smile on her mothers face light up the second her eyes took in Luke. Luke; who watched her walk with awe in his eyes…a look of utter admiration as he took in his beautiful bride. Luke, who had patiently waited for years to get a chance with Lorelai, was now going to marry her, and everybody was beyond happy about it. The whole town had shown up to witness this truly remarkable moment in Stars Hollow history. The diner owner and the Innkeeper were finally becoming one.

The ceremony began, vows were exchanged and rings were slipped on fingers. And as Lorelai and Luke said 'I do' Rory's eyes were finally drawn to Jess. He stood mid-way in the sea of people, and for a moment Rory didn't recognise him, because this could not be the same Jess who'd begged her to run away with him, who had left her multiple times, who had broken her heart…the boy who was the very definition of cynical and sarcastic, always wrapped in leather and smoke and danger.

Jess had traded his worn-out leather jacket and jeans in favour of a gray suit and a buttoned-up white shirt that seemed sculptured to his body, and his once disheveled hair was now slicked back. He'd grown up. She could see it in his face. His jaw was more pronounced, and he had an air of maturity about him now. He almost seemed sophisticated. And his eyes…they'd always held so much emotion. Today they were filled with happiness. They seemed to shine like bright beckons of hope.

Suddenly he looked at her, a smirk twisting his lips and before she could look away a smile pulled at her lips too. No matter how much things had changed, one things had, and would, always remain the same; Jess Mariano would always, _always_, have some kind of hold over her heart.

**Author's Note: I've wanted to write a Jess/Rory fanfiction for a while, so please review and let me know if you want this continued!**


	2. Then and Now

**Authors Note: Wow, I only recently heard that Edward Herrmann, the man who played Rory's grandfather, has passed away. So this chapter will be in tribute to him. Thank you to all the reviewers, you're excitement and support make me so happy.**

'Then and Now'

With perfect clarity they remembered the last _first_ time they'd seen each other. Rory stood in Truncheon books with a look of uncertainty and hesitation in her eyes – those big blue eyes of hers, still laced with innocence and Jess had stared like the love-struck teenager he'd once been, in awe of the force before him. He'd craved her presence after leaving Stars Hollow; her mind and body had always been alluring. Hidden in her depths were mysteries he'd never solved. She was his puzzle, left half finished but never forgotten. That boy, wrapped in leather, slathered with gel, with a constant chip on his shoulder and hatred towards the whole world, was gone now. Undoubtedly he'd managed to change after Rory, _because_ of her. She'd unlocked within him a passion he'd never known, and its intensity was terrifying. He'd taken her for granted and lost her, everyone knew. Now he had evolved into the man he always had the potential to be, and the residents of Stars Hollow - the ones who had described him as a delinquent, a lost cause, a good-for-nothing bad boy - could see him clearly now.

Rory had also managed to change due to Jess. Once she had been timid, afraid. But being with him, especially at such a young age, had awoken something dangerous and thrilling inside her. He'd inspired her. She'd always been jealous of him, his freedom and his ability to be whomever he wanted when it suited him. Shyness and books and brains had confined Rory, and Jess had been wild and free and chaotic – his fierce rebellious nature had drawn her in, and his intelligence had amazed her, his ability to learn faster then almost everyone she knew. Yet he chose his own path. He knew what he wanted. So as he stood outside the Dragonfly, watching his Uncle marry the woman of his dreams, Jess felt an unbearable jealously towards them. He was happy for them, but he felt like their love, their deep connection, was something he'd never share with someone again.

He watched too Rory, the light in her eyes as she watched her mothers wedding. She truly looked happy – fulfilled in a way he never remembered her being. He guessed accomplishments could do that for a person. She definitely wouldn't recognise him now. He'd traded in the leather for suits and was now an established author. He wrote 'The Subsect', and even had it self-published. But his second book 'The Prevalence' was the one that he was proud of. He was far from rich, but that book had been his baby, the only thing he'd managed to write that he could hold in his hands and be proud of. His first book was a baby step, but his last was a leap. No self-publishing anymore. He had a book deal and everything. He had real profits from something he wrote. He was finally making a living doing something he loved. And he had Rory's inspiration to thank for that.

Rory's eyes drifted to him in the crowd. He'd felt her presence before like thickened air in his lungs, now the full force of her hit him like a hurricane, ripping the air through his lungs and sending him flying through the air. Outward she looked happy to see him, but her eyes always gave her away, expressing how she truly felt. He saw sadness lurking in their depths. He'd craved those eyes, those lips…all of her, for so long. Being this close to her, he was finally aware of the unlikeliness of it ever happening. He was nothing compared to her. He had written two books, she had written thousands of articles. He was nothing in comparison. A simple sentence, a short paragraph. She was the entire novel, a trilogy, an encyclopedia of everything good and right. Suddenly he felt deflated. She was everything, and he was not. He was simple, and she was not. He'd seen greatness in her long ago – the night of their accident he remembered asking her what she wanted to be, and even then she'd known the exact path she wanted to take, and he'd been so amazed by this brunette, the whole world at her feet, determination in her eyes. He was a delinquent with no hope. She made him feel hopeful.

_It's just; I'm in love with him. Despite all the bad he's done, I can't help it; I'm in love with him. _The words had fallen from her lips and seared into his brain. Would he ever forget those words? No. Or maybe he remembered them so vividly because of the look on her face: vulnerable and hopeless. So dejected, like she'd given up on happiness. Logan had sucked her into a void she couldn't break free from. She'd been lost when he'd visited her at her Grandparents, and he always blamed Logan for that. He let her veer away from her dreams, her life long ambitions. And Jess had hated him for it. Jess saw her. He'd always seen the greatness she would become, and Logan had let it wither away. Jess knew he would never let her stop following her dreams, no matter how hopeless they seemed – Rory was unique. The whole world was still at her feet, and Jess believed she could do anything. Rory could _be_ anything.

A small smile formed on her lips; a similar smile appeared on Jess. But those eyes, he noticed, remained tainted by sadness, by broken promises and endless regrets, guilt and shame. He felt responsible for it all. He'd let her down, confused her emotions, and made her fall in love alone. He hadn't been there to catch her. He ran, fled. He had been a coward. Regret was all he could feel. He knew he'd damaged her; they'd damaged each other.

He looked away.

* * *

Rory noticed the simple changes, the complex changes, his gait, his hardened features, and the slightly muscular build under his suit. His eyes – they remained the same. Tortured as always. Writer's eyes. The eyes that viewed the world in a way only Jess could – the eyes that helped him write about it. She knew there was a wedding underway, she knew she should be paying attention. She'd been waiting for this day since her mother had first fallen for Luke. It was a monumental occasion. One that she would remember for the rest of her life. But…Jess.

The boy she'd once known had evolved into this man. He seemed to be taking her in like a breathe of air after being submerged under water for too long. His eyes though, they seemed to darken. Whatever he saw, he didn't like. _What did he see in her_, she wondered? Did he see sadness lurking beneath her smile? He'd always known her better then anyone. He'd always been able to tell what she was thinking, like he could read her mind. Could he see the unhappiness?

Rory knew she had a wonderful life, a loving family, and a great job. As a journalist she was accomplished, and she even had an interview with the Stanford Eagle Gazette, which had grown expediently since her internship with Mitchum Huntzberger. Her goal was still working for the New York Times, but in the meantime she wanted to build her resume, gain more experience writing for an actual magazine. And she knew she'd be able to accomplish that. But despite all these great thins she always felt like something was missing. Logan had left a hole in her, one that she'd tried to fill with family, friends, work and even the occasional date…but alas, nothing accomplished a thing. Because she lacked love. And without love she couldn't decide if life was worth it.

Over time the loneliness dulled and she'd managed to ignore it. Now it was pulsating like a festering wound that wouldn't heal. Jess had, for a brief moment, reminded her of what love felt like. Glimpsing him also meant glimpsing the memories they'd shared; good or bad, those memories weren't shrouded with loneliness. Even at their worst, he'd made her feel valued.

Even at her high school graduation when she'd answered his call and he'd stayed silent, a part of her was happy just to hear his breath on the other end. Relieved that despite his disappearance he was somewhere with her on his mind.

Just then she noticed the shift in his expression, the slackening of his smile, and Jess looked away, leaving a hollow ache in the pit of her stomach. They were no longer friends, no longer anything to each other. But his rejection, that moment of disinterest, hurt her still.

* * *

Tentative smiles, a brave greeting – "Hello." The first word spoken in over two years. Rory's heart pounded in her chest, hands sweating at her sides as she responded – "Hello." And like that the ice was thawed. As easily as that the tentative smiles bloomed genuine, and the familiar certainty returned to both of them – they were meant to be in each others lives, for better or worse. Whether they were friends, lovers or bitter enemies. The world would always throw them together.

**Stay tuned for the next chapter, which will be uploaded next week!**

**Review and let me know what you think of this chapter.**


	3. Love Dodger

**Authors Note: Your reviews are so amazing – thank you so much! Enjoy this chapter…**

'Love Dodger'

The reception was held outside, beside the lake. It was beautiful. The sun was beginning to set and the water glowed as the last remnants of day reflected off its surface. All shades of pinks and oranges coloured the sky while fairy lights twinkled away, readying to light the oncoming darkness. Lorelai and Luke shared their first dance, and as an instrumental rendition of 'Moon River' lulled the guests into blissful happiness Jess approached Rory for the first time in over two years. Her back was to him. She was so transfixed by her mother and Luke, who looked so content in each other's arms, that she only registered his presence when it was too late.

She looked wilted, faded, like the wedding had taken a toll on her. Not just physically, emotionally too. But her eyes sparked when she smiled at him. A smile which was tentative at first, but soon blossomed into the radiant one he always saw when he closed his eyes at night and let his mind drift to what ifs and remember whens.

"Hello…" Jess managed to say, his tone casual enough. Too casual, he thought, as if she were anyone when she was everything. But what else could he have said? He almost laughed at the irony – a writer unable to think of words. He'd written enough encounters like this that he should have known how to handle it better, but alas he was left clueless.

"Hello." Rory responded, her eyes lighting just a little. Her wilted body suddenly straightened, as if the sun had rose and she was straining towards it. Jess had always loved her silent beauty – hidden beneath plaid skirts and school uniforms, with books obscuring her face the majority of the time, but she'd changed. Since high school she'd grown into this amazing, beautiful women. There was nothing silent about her beauty anymore. It demanded to be seen, it ordered to be noticed. And he couldn't keep his eyes off her delicate face or the curves of her body. Her striking eyes almost seem to glimmer in his presence. That deep blue that he'd dreamed of for years were finally staring back at him – not filled with sadness like their last encounter, not bewildered and confused like the time he'd tried to get her to run away with him, not shocked and hurt like the time he told her he loved her. Just Rory. She was as happy as she could be. And she was pleased to see him it seemed.

Jess grinned, one of those lopsided grins Rory used to love. "Long time no see."

"Long time indeed." Rory grinned back. She realised that she'd missed him. The banter, the jokes, the books – he'd been her intellectual equal in all ways. He challenged her, fought with her, debated with her. Their love had been deep and wide, filled with commonalities. Their interests, for the most part, had aligned perfectly, while their differing personalities allowed them to retain the excitement and mystery necessary in any relationship.

"Oh…" Jess said, a thoughtful expression on his face. "I forgot. I brought you something."

"Oh, you did?" Rory questioned, bewildered. Her imagination flew through the possibilities, but she couldn't imagine what this man could have gotten her, or why he would bother considering he barely knew her anymore.

"Yeah." Jess gave her a small smile. "I know we haven't spoken in a long time. But I knew I'd see you here, and I wanted you to have a copy of my new book."

Rory's face transformed from shock to excitement. "You wrote another book!?" Jess couldn't hide his happiness over her reaction. She'd always believed in him, and he wanted her approval, her validation, that his book was good enough. He realised with a shock that writing this book, and his last, everything he'd done since leaving Stars Hollow, had been to better himself… _for her_. Everything had been in pursuit of their lost love. Maybe it couldn't be reclaimed. Maybe that fire had burned to ashes long ago with no hope of being rekindled.

"Yeah, I did." He replied, suddenly nervous. "I'll get it for you before the reception finishes. I'm staying at The Dragonfly. Lorelai offered to give me a room for free for a while. Their honeymoon isn't for a few days. Thought I'd catch up with Luke…" He stopped, realizing he'd been rambling pointlessly. Rory looked amused, like he was some odd, fascinating creature she'd never seen before. Suddenly Jess felt shy, which was something he wasn't accustomed to.

"Okay." She gave him a small smile. "I'm looking forward to reading it."

His last book had been amazing – which is a word Rory used to describe only those works of literature that were truly unique. And anything from Jess Mariano's mind was exactly that. She knew she'd love his new book to.

"I expect you to give me a raw review, completely honest…" Jess smiled.

They grinned at each other for a moment, both feeling the loneliness they'd felt all these years begin to thaw.

* * *

Lorelai and Liz watched with trepidation as their children talked, both aware of the fact that Rory and Jess would always be drawn together, yet their destructive relationship from the past made each mother wary. Neither wanted their kid to get hurt again, each aware of the loneliness they'd faced. Rory's last relationship had ended with a proposal and tears, and Jess had never had a relationship after Rory, just meaningless nights with random Philadelphia girls in skimpy clothing he'd find in clubs – fuelled by alcohol and self deprecation.

"What if it doesn't work out?" Lorelai asked in a whisper, her face anxious – worried like only a mother could be.

Liz wrapped her arm through Lorelai's, a smile forming on her face. "What if it does?"

* * *

Rory held 'The Prevalence' in her hands carefully, like it was some fragile ancient book that could desiccate in her hands. She was, after all, holding the brain of Jess Mariano – something that had to be handled with care. She was inexplicably nervous. She'd never been nervous to read a book before. It was insane. Though it did make sense. His last book had contained so much of him that reading it had made her miss him desperately…now she had another piece of him, but what piece would it be? Maybe his brain or his heart – what if this book contained parallels to the life he'd been living without her? What if some other girl had influenced the words on these pages? Spilt ink in dedication to Philadelphia girls, girls that didn't kiss him and run away, girls who knew how special he was and didn't break him by leaving. Girls who were intelligent enough to know that this man had the potential to be one of the greats.

She held her breath and opened the book – the first two words a dedication of sorts.

Two simple words.

_Love Dodger…_

Her heart thumped in her chest, her mind drifting back to after they'd met, later walking through Stars Hollow she'd run into Jess, and he'd produced one her of books out of thin air. She'd called him Dodger that night. And there it was again…on paper. _Love Dodger_. A smile formed on her face. Eagerly she turned the page.

**This chapter isn't that long, but I wanted to update before going away this weekend – I hope you enjoyed this chapter! **

**Please review and let me know what you think!**


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